The sight of the sun of Irigaani creeping up from the horizon was the first sign of day to those who resided on the planet. Creatures from all the various locales and biomes were starting to wake from their nightly slumber, while the nocturnal ones were settling down in their dens to sleep the day away. Sounds from the creatures started to echo across the land while bird-like creatures flew in the skies far above them all. There was the occasional shriek from an unfortunate animal becoming prey to that of a predator beast, but still the sounds of the wildlife continued on.

Nestled along the shoreline of a small lake rested a village of a moderate size, the human residents of it waking up as well. Said village was named by those who lived within it; Ullugahn. To those of the native land, it would mean 'Life Renewed'. The people that were already awake were starting to head out on their tasks, with foragers heading out into the nearby forest to search for edible fruits and plants, farmers tending to some of the small crop fields at the edge of the village, while fishers were walking on the piers that stretched out a short distance over the lake's water.

The population of the village was rather large for it, totaling at around eighty or so souls. The lifestyle of the village was one that was rather at peace, enjoying the fat of the land that was provided to them. Each person had at least one job to do here, be it a fisher, forager, farmer, and various other jobs that allow them to have food to eat. They were ones that worshiped deities to please them and earn their favor, leading to one individual being a head priest or priestess, with several others being at normal priest roles.

One of the larger huts resided the villages chieftain, whom was having a bit of trouble waking himself up. He was able to do so once he heard the small community's chatter and even the laughter of children playing among each other, a small smile showing on his face as he worked to pull himself up out of the primitive bed he laid in.

“Good morning.” he heard a voice sound out to him, his tired and aged gaze looking to the source.

Standing at the entrance of the hut was one that he could recognize as one of the villages priestesses, a hand resting on the archway that lead outside of the structure. She wore today her priestess clothes of woven pink and purple, with some silver accents around her collar. The colors however did not make an interwoven pattern complicated as her regal priestess garments; each thread showing was purple striped on the ends that got lighter to pink as it got to the middle. At the collar, it was instead pink going to sliver. A dress such as the one she wore was a common day attire, but still vibrant enough to inform other residents of her duty.

“Ah, good morning…sister.” the chief responded with the title at the end to show respect, having to pause a short bit mid-sentence to let out a small wheeze, a definite sign of his age. However, much as he wanted to let go, his spirit told him to cling to life for however long he could, his hand reaching over to his cane that was propped up close by and slowly started to stand up with its help. He felt a hand lightly grip hold of his right upper arm, looking over and saw that it was the priestess, both humans smiling before having the aged man fully stand up. Even though he was told that the one with the role of the chief shouldn't speak with anyone other than the head priest, he was one that didn't adhere to that rule, instead choosing to speak with anyone who wishes to speak with him.

“Thank you, sister.” the old man stated, starting to shakily make his way out, the cane he used quickly shifting from its current spot to the next with each step the man took and moved the cane to support himself, the female walking out with him.

Outside of the hut, the sound of the waking village met both of the human's ears, seeing groups of children running about while some of the gatherers were coming through. They each held small baskets that were filled with berries and vegetation from the forest, walking by to store it before heading back out. A small smile came to the chief's face, the sight of the village in the early mornings always a welcome sight to him, to see the village as lively as it can be when each morning comes.

“Chief…” the priestess started, looking down at the slightly smaller man as both she and him stepped continued to walk. “I feel that there's something I must tell you.”

“What is…is it?” was the response to her statement, the two continuing to walk about the village, some of those who were walking about easily making way to allow the two to walk without bumping into anyone else.

The smile that was fading on the priestess' face went away fully when she was asked, a small sigh coming out from her. “I was…woken up late in the night. A vision.” she answered with her tone seeming to gloom slightly. “Do you remember the legends of our world? Of the grand disasters that plagued it?”

“Yes…” the chief answered, his walk slowing down a bit but continued on. “Fire in the sky, great…faults in the ground…as far down as the eye could see, walls of water…from the great seas…beings mad with power.” he trailed off, having heard the same scenarios from his father before he became chieftain of the tribe. “What was your vision…about? Could you…describe what you have seen?”

“Much as you want me to, I'm…afraid that most of the details were lost when I woke up.” the priestess answered, a small sigh coming out from her as she glanced away for a moment. “All I can remember is seeing some kind of creature that had come, but the reasons escape me.”

The chief stayed silent for a moment, pondering on what the vision she had entailed. His gaze turned away from her for a moment before looking back up to her. “Why haven't you told the high priest…of your vision?” he questioned, having wondered about such. His pace came to a stop as he stood in his spot, shaking slightly from his body working to keep him standing up.

“Because, even though he would tell you of anything the gods say, I doubt he'd inform you of a 'silly little vision from a priestess'.” she replied, her voice sounding bitter at the last bit.

The chief frowned at what she had said, thinking of confronting the head priest about such later but felt that the vision the priestess had should be investigated further. His pace continued though as hastened as his old body could manage, the female following him.

“Where are we heading to?” he heard her question, glancing back to her.

“You said that…we need to consult the gods…make sure that what you've seen…is indeed a warning.” he answered as his path continued, occasionally turning down a different path within the village.

It wasn't long until they both arrived at the 'center' of the village; A moderate sized crater that spiraled down towards the center of it. Resting in the center of it was a large slab of stone sticking almost vertically out from the ground, the surface of it adorned with a multitude of markings, each describing some kind of scenario. Around the stone were poles, each having rope wrapped around them and the stone itself, small slips of paper hanging from them, ornate symbols drawn on each of them. To anyone, it would look like as though the site is holding something in place, but for the chieftain and the priests, it was considered a holy gathering site for them and a way of connection to the gods they worship.

The two made their way down one of the curved slopes towards the stone, the chief having to take it a bit slow lest he end up taking a nasty tumble down. After a few minutes, they both arrived at the monolithic stone, the chief looking up towards the top of it. Most of the time he had come here was either with one of the priests or when a festival was starting. His visit was of the first scenario, but it wasn't one for worship, rather one to validate what the priestess he was with had seen in her vision.

They both walked up to a wooden platform that surrounded the large stone, the priestess walking a bit closer to it than the chief, her head turning to look back at him. A nod came from the older human, the female looking back to the stone, taking in a breath and let it back out, calming herself before reaching a hand out to the surface of the monolith. When her hand made contact and fully rested in its spot, a small area around it glowed faintly, some of the symbols glowing as well.

“O ancient and powerful ones…” she recited, keeping mind clear of doubt and trying to keep her worry to a minimum.

“Please, heed my call.”

“I require clarity for a vision,”

“Of something that could endanger us all.”

When she finished, her body seemed to lock up, her eyes widening as the pupils dilate to allow her to receive the clarity she needed. Within her mind, the clouds surrounding what she had seen were lifted, allowing her to see what she was fearing; She saw the numerous disasters that would befall their home and the lands, from one being scorching all in their path to events happening in other areas far from the village. She was horrified to see all that had such an intent on destroying anything, her vision coming back to the creature she remembered. Instead of it charging into a battle like she remembered, she saw that it was instead curled up and resting in what she could assume was a nest. Said spot had a circle or torches around it. That could only mean…!

Her moment of clarity was abruptly cut off as she regained her senses, stumbling back from the monolith, holding her head with a hand to steady herself. The rush of having to experience the vision in a much clearer state only to snap back to reality had made her woozy, stumbling slightly in her spot but was able to keep herself from falling.

“What did you…see?” she heard the chief ask, steadying herself and looked back at him.

“Nothing…good, but…” she started to answer, having to sit herself down in her spot since her experience took out a lot more than she had initially thought. The clacks of the chief's cane met her ears, feeling a withered hand rest on her shoulder.

“The vision must have…been far more taxing on you…than we thought.” he stated to her, standing back up after a moment. It wasn't long before the priestess herself stood back up, looking to the aged man with a worried look.

“I think…the legends are true. The Great Disasters are upon us…” the priestess stated in an equally worried tone.

“It would seem so…I have to…inform everyone of the village.” the chief stated, turning to head back up to the village.

“What about me?”

“Gather your fellow sisters and…the high priest. Tell them to come to…the monolith.”

With a nod, the priestess headed off once both she and the chief were up and out of the crater, hurrying off to gather the others. The aged man, though left alone for the moment, couldn't help but smirk a bit as he started to make his way to the gathering center of the village.

“Father…the Incarnate of Life shall walk this world…once more…just like you've told me.” he finished with a smirk, chuckling to himself with a tone that sounded like he was giddy, his steps showing his enthusiasm for such an event as well as he continued along his path.

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Collaborating author(s): FA user 'ac2', mainly for beta reading, as well as helping add and correct some segments.

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First chapter of Life Incarnate, setting up the story for this potentially grand adventure. I'm aware that some of the readers might be wondering what the history of the world is, but don't fret for it will be revealed soon.